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Most students find it important to balance the demands of legal studies by joining one or more organizations for professional advancement, personal development, community service and professional networking.

The fiscal year 2017 Firm Giving Program campaign runs from May-June. If your firm employs multiple VLS alumni, and you'd like to participate in this year's campaign, please contact the Development & Alumni Relations office via email or call (615) 322-0814. Participating firms with 100% giving among VLS alumni within at least one office location that houses multiple alumni will be recognized on the Firm Giving Honor Roll.

The Firm Giving Program was created over a decade ago to promote continued excellence in legal education at Vanderbilt Law School. Firms with multiple Vanderbilt Law School alumni can participate by naming a Firm Representative to encourage and coordinate alumni donations with a goal toward achieving 100% giving participation.

This program's growth has paralleled the increasing global influence of the law school. In Fiscal Year 2016 nearly 1,200 alumni working at 98 firms and companies with locations around the world participated in the program, securing vital unrestricted support for the law school.

Firm participation is vital to preserving the high standards in legal education that distinguish Vanderbilt Law School from competing law schools. The annually published Firm Giving Honor Roll celebrates those firms who have met the challenge and achieved 100% alumni giving participation and recognizes their commitment to the future of the law school.

Why the Firm Giving Program?

1. Increase Alumni Giving Participation

The Firm Giving Program greatly affects the Law School’s overall alumni participation rate. Increasing the alumni participation rate signals alumni support for the Law School that may influence assessment scores given by legal professionals as well as peer law school administrators and faculty when calculating U.S. News & World Report law school rankings.

In addition, the vast majority of gifts received through Firm Giving efforts are not restricted by the donor for a particular purpose or fund (although all gifts to the Law School restricted or unrestricted, count in overall Firm Giving participation rates and totals). Annual gifts help preserve the character, collegiality, and excellence of the Vanderbilt Law School experience while at the same time demonstrating the personal commitment and professional gratitude alumni hold for the school.

2. Building and Improving a Network of Mutual Support

The Firm Giving Program aids in the building of a network between the Law School and its alumni at the nation’s best law firms and businesses. Firms and corporations benefit by strengthening their presence at Vanderbilt Law School, where some of the nation’s best and brightest students are being equipped to become practicing lawyers.

3. Alumni Networking

Furthermore, the Firm Giving Program benefits alumni at participating firms by building camaraderie within the firm and vitalizing alumni networks in the larger community. The program fosters a cadre of caring alumni who enjoyed their law school experience, value their Vanderbilt Law degree, and want to get involved and give back.

4. Promoting Participating Law Firms or Organizations

If your firm achieves a place on our Firm Giving Honor Roll, your name will appear alongside your firm’s name on signage that will be:

Displayed in the Law School’s Office of Career Services;

Displayed in the Law School during local events and Reunion festivities -- where it will be seen by hundreds of Vanderbilt alumni and students;

Posted online;

Published in our monthly e-newsletter, Law@Vanderbilt;

And published in Vanderbilt Law, Vanderbilt Law School’s alumni magazine.

Additionally, those firms who participate in on-campus interviews will find their interview suites decorated to recognize the achievement of reaching 100% participation among the VLS alumni at the firm. This recognition will demonstrate to current law students and other visiting firms that the alumni in your firm have a strong affinity and commitment to Vanderbilt.